Demolition of southeast Atlanta apartments delayed after inspectors find asbestos in ‘every single unit’

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – City officials said inspectors found asbestos in every unit of the Forest Cove Apartments complex in southeast Atlanta.

“Every single unit inside of Forest Cove has asbestos,” said Courtney English, chief policy officer and senior adviser to Mayor Andre Dickens.

English said the asbestos was found as part of an environmental review ahead of the city’s effort to demolish the complex.

The city still plans to demolish the blighted property, but must first treat the asbestos in all units to avoid any hazardous fibers being released into the community.

Exposure to asbestos and breathing the particle fibers can cause troubled breathing and increases one’s risk of some cancers.

English said he’s not sure if any of the former residents were exposed to the asbestos in a way that would have compromised their health.

Atlanta News First reached out to Felicia Morris, a former long-term resident of the property. She is recovering from lung cancer but told Atlanta News First she’s not sure if the cancer can be tied to asbestos.

The last of the 200 families were moved out in October 2022.

In October 2023, Dickens and civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced a lawsuit against Forest Cove Apartments property owner, The Millenia Companies, claiming the corporation put profit over people.

“I am not content to sit on the sidelines and allow residents to live in inadequate conditions,” Dickens said.

A spokesperson for Millennia, which owns the property under the name Phoenix Ridge, responded to the news of asbestos in an email to Atlanta News First.

Here’s their full response:

“The City of Atlanta was aware of the presence of asbestos in the Forest Cove apartments long before Phoenix Ridge assumed ownership in 2021. Asbestos was a common building material used until the 1980s, and as the City is aware, the Forest Cove Apartments were built in the 1960s. Plans to abate the asbestos were always part of Phoenix Ridge’s $58M revitalization plans and the proposals approved by the City, which would have seen all rightful residents returned to transformed and safe housing today, versus dispersed across the Metro Atlanta area in temporary homes. Further, the neglected condition of the community was the catalyst for Phoenix Ridge to purchase the property, as it was the only way to move residents out of the community to allow for renovations. Unfortunately, the City’s actions, which are the source of Phoenix Ridge’s lawsuit against the City, prevented relocation and renovation plans from advancing. We should not allow the City to pretend that they were unaware of the condition of the Forest Cove Apartments, nor fall for its attempts to explain away its inaction by seeding false narratives that disparage Phoenix Ridge in the media.”

English denied that the city knew about the asbestos prior to the demolition plans.

“What you’re finding is the last vestiges of a desperate landlord seeking to hold on to power to repair the reputation as best as they can, but it’s not going to happen on our watch,” English told Atlanta News First.

English said the city officially filed the demolition permits on Tuesday. They hope to have the entire property demolished by early fall.

Forest Cove Apartments was government-subsidized housing under the guidance of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

A HUD spokesperson told Atlanta News First on Tuesday:

“Forest Cove was built in 1974. At that time asbestos was commonly used in vinyl tile, ceiling texture, drywall materials, piping, insulation, and other building materials. The last HUD REAC inspection was in 2018. REAC does not test for asbestos as asbestos is not considered a hazard until disturbed from renovation, rehabilitation, and/or demolition. If the Owner had moved forward with its proposed redevelopment plan for the property, the Owner would have had to provide a mitigation/abatement plan for asbestos and any other hazardous conditions.”

RELATED COVERAGE:

‘Profit over people’: City files class-action lawsuit against apartment management company

Demolish dilapidated apartment complex or I will, Atlanta mayor says

HUD to end federal funding for dilapidated Forest Cove Apartments